Bush: U.S. Will Remain Engaged in Mideast

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, February 09, 2002

Bush: U.S. Will Remain Engaged in Mideast

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U.S. President Bush insisted Thursday that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat "must do everything in his power to fight terror." But Bush rebuffed a request by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that the United States sever ties with Arafat.

"Mr. Arafat has heard my message. I can't be any more clear about it," Bush said after a White House meeting with Sharon.

Bush said he was "at first surprised, then extremely disappointed" of Palestinian efforts to smuggle into the region 50 tons of Iranian weapons by ship.

For his part, Sharon accused Arafat of waging "a strategy of terror."

"I personally, myself and my government, regard Arafat as an obstacle to peace," the Israeli leader said. Sharon called for pressure on Arafat to be increased.

Sharon, who has imposed virtual house arrest on Arafat on the West Bank, wanted Bush to cut more than a decade of U.S. contact that followed the Palestinian leader's public repudiation of terrorism.

But that is a door the Bush administration does not want to shut �� at least for now �� even as it applies heavy pressure on Arafat to curb Palestinian attacks on Israel, to make more arrests and to take responsibility for trying to smuggle in the Iranian rockets, mortar and explosives.

"I made our government's position about as clear as I could," Bush said. "I haven't changed my position."

Arafat "must do everything in his power to reduce terrorist attacks on Israel," Bush said.

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